Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Microscopic marvels

I have terrible vision. Anything beyond about six inches from my face is blurry. I've worn glasses since I was ten years old and am completely dependent upon them.

But this extreme near-sightedness has one amazing side benefit: I have extraordinary close-up vision. Seriously, it's practically microscopic. I call it my super power.

For this reason, I always remove my glasses any time I'm doing close-up work. This is a long-winded explanation of why I wasn't wearing my glasses the other day when sorting blueberries.

The blueberry harvest is in full swing, and I'm picking about a quart of fruit every other day. Before bagging and freezing it, I sort through to remove any stems, leaves, blossom remains, or other debris.

Like this:

Anyway, I was sitting there minding my own business, sorting the blueberries, when something caught my near-sighted eyes. Take a closer look at the berry at the farthest left:

It had a collection of tiny (empty) insect egg cases adhering to the skin of the fruit.

They were extraordinarily tiny and perfect.

I popped the egg cases off the blueberry easily with a fingernail. You can see the scars on the fruit itself.

Just one of those microscopic marvels I was blessed to see, all because I have lousy vision.

9 comments:

  1. My wife had vision similar to yours. She had to have cataract surgery several months ago and had to get a pair of glasses to see close and has a secondary pair that she puts over those when she needs to thread a needle. She is an artist and has always had incredible detail because of the microscopic vision.

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  2. I, too, had vision like yours and got my first pair of glasses at age 10 or 1 with the same close up supervision. I had cataract surgery almost four years ago. My right (dominant) eye is now 20/25, my left eye tests at 20/10. While I lost my near vision focus, I'm very happy with being able to see planets orbiting nearby star systems.

    Okay, I exaggerate a little bit, but after a lifetime of soda-bottle-bottom lenses, it's a blessing late in life from God.

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  3. I am very curious...

    What hatches from those little eggs???

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  4. I did a little sleuthing with my Google lens - stink bug eggs is as close as I could come.

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    1. ick !! thank you for the answer

      I used to eat them right off the bush. Maybe that is not such a good idea anymore.

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  5. Hello Patrice ... I sent you a message on FB because I could not find anywhere else to post a private message to you. It has to do with a lot of prepping goods I have and would like to give away. Thank you

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    1. I'm not active on Facebook (the only reason I have an account is to communicate with our Navy daughter). What is your first name? I'll see if I can find your message.

      - Patrice

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  6. I used to have supernatural near vision--I could read the micro type on US bills, for example (like the 'FIVE DOLLARS' written in each of the pointed ovals at the edge of the five-dollar bill). But as I've grown older, I've lost much of my super power--although I can still easily manage without reading glasses if I take my glasses off.

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    1. Well, you beat me on your microscopic vision! I just tried, and couldn't, read the micro type saying "FIVE DOLLARS" edging the bills. In fact, I never even knew it was there.

      - Patrice

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